This invention relates generally to seals for passageway structures for interconnecting truck and camper, cap or canopy combinations and more particularly to an improved, easily installed, easily removed inflatable boot structure.
Trucks carrying campers, caps or the like commonly include a rear window on the cab of the truck which is in approximate registry or alignment with a window on a forward wall of the camper, cap, etc. It is quite desirable to interconnect or couple these windows with a seal or tunnel assembly which is sealed within the window openings of the cab and camper so that weather, dirt and debris cannot enter the camper or truck cab. At the same time, communication is provided through this ready access opening. Furthermore, it is most desirable to have such a seal or window boot assembly which may be easily installed and removed without any permanent attachment to the truck or camper and it is further desirable to have such an assembly which may be installed and removed without need of any tools.
In the past, window boots of the type under constuction were permanently or semi-permamently installed in window openings of the camper or cab or both window openings. Further, there is at least one disclosure of inflatable couplings or seals between cars which far predates the development of cab and camper combinations. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 506,421 issued Oct. 10, 1893 to M. Dickerson shows a connection between adjacent railroad passenger cars including one or more tubes filled with air or other gas under pressure and arranged peripherally about the doorway opening at the end of the car. The design reduces shock between the cars when the train is moving.
As for more recent developments, U.S. Pat. No. 3,321,234 issued to W. L. Harrell et al on May 23, 1967 discloses a combined window closure panel and interconnecting boot structure. The window closure and panel completely replaces the rear window of the truck cab and a rigid rectangular tunnel interconnects the cab panel and window with the front window in the camper. U.S. Pat. No. 3,625,560 issued to R. M. Bjork on Dec. 7, 1971 illustrates boot with a flexible tunnel, the tunnel having one end permanently stapled or attached about the interior periphery of the camper window, the semi-rigid tunnel extending into the frame of the truck cab window opening. There is no need to alter the window opening of the truck cab. A dual chambered inflatable seal placed between a truck cab and the front wall of the camper about the windows of each is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,700 issued Sept. 24, 1974 to G. C. Van Slyke. A rim or pins may project from the camper or the cab in order to retain the seal in place. A pair of U.S. Patents issued to R. M. Bjork et al, namely U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,844,603 issued Oct. 29, 1974 and 3,853,346 issued Dec. 10, 1974 are similar to the Bjork '560 patent discussed above but include a frame fitted in the frame of the truck cab window to receive the forward end of the tunnel; the rear of the device is permanently attached, to the camper front window, however. U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,970 issued Aug. 5, 1975 to H. H. Gattenby shows an inflatable U-shaped seal wedged about the top and sides of the mating window openings of a camper-truck cab combination.
A boot with a flexible tunnel having rigid frame members at each end of the tunnel, the frame members being installed behind the window openings of the camper and truck combination are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,900,224 issued Aug. 19, 1975 to A. B. Copeland. No other alteration of any other window opening is needed; however, the device is in two parts and is rather difficult to install. U.S. Pat. No. 4,093,301 issued June 6, 1978 to S. W. T. Kwok shows a flexible quilted boot filled with insulative material which is moldable over the perimeter of the openings between mating adjacent doorway openings of a truck cab and camper combination. The camper has a forward overhang portion over the roof of the cab.
More recent developments are as follows. An inflatable doughnut which is placed about the mating openings of a truck cab and camper combination is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,494 issued Oct. 30, 1979 to C. C. Saulters. U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,426 issued July 21, 1981 to E. Flack, Jr. shows a camper-truck combination boot having an elongated tunnel with ends extended through the aligned windows of the combination, each boot end having a spiral, endless resilient member which is snap-fit behind the respective windows of the camper-truck combination. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,422 issued Nov. 10, 1981 to J. E. Pettit discloses a boot with a flexible central tunnel and inflatable tubular chambers at each end of the tunnel which are snap-fit behind the respective aligned window openings of a camper-truck combination.
While the various devices just discussed above are useful and have been found acceptable, there remains a need for a simple window boot having sufficient stiffness at each of its installed ends whereby the boot is sure to be retained in place in the truck-camper combination yet can be installed or removed with a minimum or inconvenience and without need of any tools.